Nan Xiang Express - South End, Boston

This place was great!!! Absolutely loved the food and dumplings, as it was my first time here. Such a friendly and warm atmosphere when walking in. Tasty, fresh and hot dumplings as I got the chicken w/ hot and sour soup. So good, they easily melt in your mouth. Will be back again soon to try other menu options. Please if you’re in the area stop by this cute space, you won’t be disappointed.

We went here because we had recently tried the main location in Flushing, Queens, and had absolutely loved it. However, this Express spot was extremely disappointing. We got the Crab & Pork Xiao Long Baos (soup dumplings) and Steamed Vegetarian Dumplings—two of the same dishes we had at the Flushing location—and they were extremely underwhelming. Both the dough and fillings were bland and completely lacking in seasoning or flavor. I couldn’t taste the crab at all in the soup dumplings, and the meat filling was nondescript and one-note. The steamed vegetable dumplings were slightly better, but still unimpressive. Both dumplings came in plastic to-go boxes even though we ordered dine-in. I guess that's because this is an Express location, but it didn't help

Great ambiance at this location and very spacious! Ordering is a cinch as well. You can either order at the counter or if you're not feeling very sociable you can order at the touch screen. If you're eating in you can grab a number, enter it with your order and they'll bring it out to you! Items we ordered (as of 9/2024) - Crab meat and pork soup dumplings - $9.95 - The meat filling was pretty good and there was a decent amount of broth! Overall it wasn't bad although the dumpling skin itself was a bit mushy. Overall I'd try the regular pork soup dumplings next time. -Pork Crispy Bottom Buns (4pc) - $7.95 - The buns were alright. The meat filling was decent but the buns (like the soup dumplings) had a bit of a mushy aftertaste to it. Not sure if it was just the batch they used for us but it wasn't as fluffy as I'd expect. I'd pass on this one in the future. - Shredded Beef & Pepper Noodles (Dry) - $14.95 - Great spicy flavor. The meat and veggies are good although the noodles were a bit overcooked. - Cucumber Salad w. Garlic Vinaigrette (Cold) - $7.95 - We really enjoyed this dish as the cucumbers were fresh and crisp. The garlic vinaigrette was great and overall a very good palate cleanser. Good quantity as well. - Crispy Sesame Chicken Bowl - $13.95 - Overall this dish is alright. The chicken was tender and crispy but the Sesame sauce was lacking. I'd probably pass on this in the future. - Beef Scallion Pancake (3pcs) - $8.95 - This was probably my favorite dish of the night. The scallion pancake was VERY crispy and tasty and the hoisin sauce and beef was perfect ratio-wise. I'd get this one again in a heartbeat. Overall I'm happy to have a decent soup dumpling place in the South End and look forward to coming back to try their other offerings! I'm hoping that the bun and dumpling skin mushiness was a one-off moment but we'll have to just wait and see next time.

I will miss Bar Lyon forever but I am glad to see something delicious taking its place! I stopped in to the soft opening today and tried the Wontons in Spicy Peanut Sauce and Chive Shrimp & Pork Dumplings. Both were delicious! The inside has been beautifully redecorated and the staff were so pleasant, even taking the time to follow up on my order unprompted. Happy to welcome Nan Xiang Express to the neighborhood!

I’m a foodie from Japan. My Chinese friend brought me to this place. The food was great, authentic, and relatively affordable. It’s a fantastic spot if you’re especially looking for chewy dumplings or xiao long bao. However, be a bit cautious about the neighborhood—there was a seemingly drug-addicted man sleeping inside the store during my entire visit. Apart from that concern, I would definitely come back!